Coin controlled lock



United States Patent Yasuhiro Hashimoto Niza-lnachi, Japan [21] AppLNo.713,450

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1927Dobkin.........................

[72] Inventor March 15, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Tokyo CabinetKabushiki Kaisha Tokyo, Japan Aug. 7, 1967 Japan 42/611,020

Mme M 5 5, imms 1 mm m D F m E n L .m m m LW 0n m m mu m m 9 M 0 m cm Ill h CH 0 w s w C M U h F H. M. P um B U HUB [22] Filed [73] Assignee[32] Priority ABSTRACT: A coin has three positions in the lock. In thefirst position, the coin will cause a detent member to be pivoted awayfrom rotary passage of a stopper member provided on the locking boltwhen a key is turned. in the second position, the coin will continuouslyretain the detent member in thus pivoted position. In the thirdposition, the coin is held at the entrance to coinbox. Since the detentmember is retained in the retreated position when the coin is in thesecond position, the locking bolt can be brought back to unlockingposition as desired without affecting the indication of counter means.

Pg Ema Nov. 10, 1970 FIG.

Sheet l of 5.

By YASUHIRO HASHIMOTO Jm M INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patentcl Nov; 10, 1970Sheet 2 of 5 I NVENTOR BY YASUHIRO HASHIMOTO ATTOR Y3 "mm-ted N v.10,1910 I Y 3,538,988

Sheet. 4 0 5 INVENTOR YASUHIRO HASHIMOTO /mm @w ATTORNEYS Patented Nov.10, 1970 3,538,988

Sheet 5 of5 I INVENTOR.

YASUHIRO HASHIMOTO ATTORNEYS COIN CONTROLLED LOCK The present inventionrelates to a coin controlled lock, more particularly to a coincontrolled lock having-a key operalctl rotary locking bolt and employedin checking cabinets.

In the prior art lock of this kind, since a coin deposited in the lockwill drop into the coinbox and a counter is operated each time thelocking bolt is brought into locking position, the locking bolt can notbe brought back into unlocking position once it is put into the lockingposition. It is very inconvenient for the user when he desires to openthe cabinet again before removing a key The present invention is devisedto overcome such difficulties of the prior art lock.

It is primary object of the present invention to provide a coincontrolled lock which is brought into locked position bydepositing acoin and then turning a key, and which is capable of being brought backinto unlocking position as desired without causing the countermeans tobe operated even after it is once brought into locked position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin controlledlock in which the deposited coin is caused to drop into the eoinbox onlyafter the removed key is inserted again into the lock'and turned to openthe same.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coincontrolled lock which is inexpensive to manufacture, reliable inoperation and convenient to use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a coin controlledlock comprising a frame member having a coin passage therethrough, arotary locking bolt having a stopper means thereon and fixedly mountedon a shaft which is in turn rotatably mounted on said frame member andprovided with a keyhole, a detent member pivotally mounted on said framemember and adapted to limit a rotation of said locking bolt when no coinis deposited, a retainer member pivotally mounted on said frame andadapted to retain said detent member in a position retreated frompassage of said stopper means when the coin is deposited, and a meansfor retaining said coin in a position to cause said retainer member tobe maintained in a position to hold said detent member in said retreatedposition.

Now, one preferable embodiment of the coin controlled lock according tothe present invention will be described in detail by way of examplehereinafter with reference to accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the coin controlled lock according to thepresent invention,

FIG. 2 isa rear view showing the coin controlled lock in'unlockedposition. FIG. 3 isa rear view showing the coin controlled lock inlocked position,

FIG. 4 is a vertical section view taken along a line lV-IV in FIG. 2.

FIG. '5 is a vertical section view taken along a line V-V in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a vertical section view taken along a line Vl-Vl in FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a view showing the relative position of essential members ofthe lock in unlocked position with the frame and guide plates removed,

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 in locked position, and

FIG. 9is a view showing the relative position of the locking boltaccording to this invention with reference to the locking member of thedoor'intcnded to be locked by the lock of this invention. 1

Now, referring to drawings, particularly FIG. 1, a frame 1 of the coincontrolled lock has a lock barrel 2 mounted thereon. The frame I isnormally mounted on a checking cabinet (not shown) adjacent to the doorthereof. A keyhole for receiving a key 3'isprovided on a rotatable shaftof the lock barrel. An axially slidable small pin 4 is located adjacentto innermost end of the rotatable shaft 2a (See FIG. 4). The pin 4 ismounted in such a manner as to be projected outwardly when .depositingopening 5 is provided in front of the frame I so as to have a coindeposited in parallel to front surface of the frame I.

Referring to FIGS. 2-8, a face plate 6 is secured to front portion la ofthe frame 1. Also, a rear plate 7 is secured to the front portion laofthe frame 1 in a side opposite to that of the face plate 6, with aspacer plate 8 inserted therebetween. The face plate 6, the frontportion la of the frame 1, the spacer plate 8 and the rear plate 7 aresecured together by suitable means such as machine screws. The frontportion la of the frame I and the spacer plate 8 are cut out so as toform a coin passage R which is communicated to the coin depositingopening 5, see FIG. 4. As shown in'FlGS. 4 and 6, the coin passage R isconnected to a coin passage R which is formed in the lower part of thelock by guide plates 9 and 11. The coin passage R includes a rearwardlysloped portion R, as shown in FIG. 4 and an arcuate portion R, as shownin FIG. 6.

A L-shaped guide plate 10 is located in left side bottom cornerin FIG.2. An arcuate portion Ila of the guide plate II is located oppositely tothe corner guide plate 10. As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6, the guide plate IIis provided with an arcuate guide opening llb, which will be describedhereinafter, and also with a channel-shaped notch portion He in theupper edge thereof adjacent to the arcuate portion Ila.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 7, 8. an actuating lever 12 is fixedly mountedon the rotatable shaft 2a, and provided with an arm having a bent endI211 adapted to be engaged with the arcuate guide opening llb of theguide plate II so as to slide therealong. The bent and 12a engaged withthe guide opening 11b is placed at top end of the guide opening 11b whenthe lock is in unlocked position. A counter operating lug 12b and astopper member 120 are also provided on the actuating lever 12 at theend opposite to the bent end 12a.

A locking bolt I3 is fixedly mounted on the rotatable shaft 20 andrigidly connected to the actuating lever l2. A spring receiver pin 14 isprovided on the locking bolt [3 in the intermediate portion thereof.Another stopper member 1311 is formed on the locking bolt 13 at uppercorner thereof so as to abut with a receiver lug la provided in the sideof the frame 1 when the lock is in locked position. A leaf spring 15,which is bent as shown in FIG. 2, has one end secured to the frame I andthe other end maintained in contact with the spring receiver pin I4. Thelocking bolt 13 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2 when unlocked byaction ofthis spring 15,

latch member (not shown) of the latter, also in a locked positionthrough intervention of a pivot member 101 which is pivotally mounted onthe door.. Unlocked positions of the locking member of the door, thepivot member 101 and the locking bolt I3 are shown in dotted lines. Inthis manner, the locking bolt 13 can lock the door without having the.tip end projected out of the side surface of the frame I.

A L-shaped kicker lever or retainer member I6 is pivotally mounted onthe guide plate 11 by means of a pin 17. The

kicker lever 16 is provided with a cam means 16a formed adjacent to thecorner of I... One leg 16b of the kicker lever 16 is formed into arcuateconfiguration and laid over the guide opening I lb. The other leg of thekicker lever 16 has a bent tip end 160, which is located in the coinpassage R A spring 18 has one end secured to the guide plate 11 and theother end anchored on the lever 16 adjacent to the bent end so as tourge the lever I6 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. '2. A

stopper pin 19 is fixedly mounted on the guide plate 11 so as to receivethe arcuate portion 16b of the kicker lever 16.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a first coin retainer lever 20 is pivotablymounted on the guide plate 9 by means of a pin 21 and biased clockwiseas viewed in FIG. 2 by a spring 22. The first coin retainer lever 20 isprovided with an extended arm 20a which is engaged with end of lower arm23a of an intermediary lever 23. The intermediary lever 23 is pivotallymounted on the guide plate 11 by means of a pin 24. Tip end of the upperarm is maintained in contact with a bent end 12a of the actuating lever12 when the lock is in unlocked position. In this condition, the coinretainer lever 20 is pivoted counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 byaction of the intermediary lever 23. Accordingly, an opening to coinboxwill be opened.

As shown in FIG. 5, a detent lever 25 of L-shaped configuration ispivotally mounted on the guide plate 9 adjacent to upper edge thereof bymeans of a pin 26'. A lower leg of the detent lever 25 has a bent tipend 2511 which is fitted into the notch portion 11c of the guide plate11. A bent end 25b of upper leg of the detent lever 25 is located in anarcuate track or path of the stopper portion 120 of the actuator lever12 when the lock is in unlocked position. A leaf spring 26 is mounted onthe detent lever 25 so as to urge a retainer lever 28 which is to bedescribed hereinafter. A spring 27 is provided on the detent lever 25 soas to urge the latter clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3,a retainer lever 28 is pivotally mounted on the front portion la of theframe 1 by means of a pin 30 so as to retain an operating lever 31 ofcounter means 33 which will be described hereinafter. A spring 29 ismounted on the retainer lever 28 so as to bias the lattercounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3. A projecting lower end of theretainer lever 28 is maintained in contact with upper end oftheleafspring 26.

The L-shaped operating lever 31 is pivotally mounted on the frontportion of the frame 1 by a pin 32, see FIG. 2. A bent end 310 of theoperating lever 31 is connected to a tension spring 34 of the countermeans 33, and maintained in contact with a stopper means 33a provided onthe counter means 33 when the lock is in unlocked condition as shown inFIG. 2.

A second coin retainer lever 36 is pivotally mounted on a support piece35, which is fixedly mounted on the frame I in one side thereof, seeFIG. 2. The second coin retainer lever 36 will pivot about a pin 38, andhas a bent end 360 extended into the coin passage R, as shown in FIG. 4.A flat end portion 36b of the second coin retainer lever 36 ismaintained at all times in contact with the slidable small pin 4provided adjacent to the rear end of the rotatable shaft 2a, by actionof a spring 37, which is mounted on the retainer lever 36 so as to biasthe same counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4. As shown in FIGS. 3, 8,the second coin retainer lever 36 will act to retain the coin in aposition C2 (FIG. 8) within the coin passage. The coin in this positionwill hold the bent end 16c of the kicker lever 16 in a raised position,thereby bringing the cam means 16a of the kicker lever 16 into aposition to raise the bent end 25a of the detent lever 25 so as to causethe detent lever 25 to be pivoted counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 8.

Accordingly, as long as the coin is retained in position C2 (FIG. 8) byaction of the bent end 36a of the coin retainer lever 36, the detentlever 25 is in the position retreated from the rotary track or passageof the stopper member 12c of the actuating lever 12, which position willpermit the locking block 13 to be swung into the locking position. Thissecond coin retainer lever 36 will constitute one important featureinherent to the present invention.

In operation, when the key 3 is turned in a direction of locking, thatis, clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 from the unlocked position without anycoin deposited, the locking bolt 13 and the actuating lever 12 will berotated together until the pin 14 passes over a bent portion of thespring 15, but the stopper member 12c of the actuating lever 12 willabut with the bent end 25b of the detent lever 25 thereby preventing thelocking bolt 13 from being rotated further. Therefore, the lock is notbrought into locked position.

If the coin is deposited through the opening 5, it will fall down thecoin passage R and come to position C1 in FIG. 7 wherein the coin isheld at one point in the periphery by the bent end 25a of the detentlever 25. In this condition, when the actuating lever 12 together withthe locking bolt 13 are rotated in a direction of locking by means of akey 3, the bent end 12a of the actuating lever 12 slidable along thearcuate guide opening 11b will push the coin to the left and hence raisethe bent end 250 of the detent lever 25 through intervention of the cointhereby causing the latter to be pivoted counterclockwise as viewed inFIG. 7. Since the bent end 25b of the detent lever 25 is now retreatedfrom the circular path of stopper member of the actuating lever 12, thelatter i.e. the locking bolt 13 will be rotated further and easilybrought into locked position. At the same time, the bent end 120 of theactuating lever 12 will come into contact with the arcuate portion 16bof the kicker lever 16 and cause the latter to be pivoted clockwise asviewed in FIG. 2. Immediately before the locking bolt 13 is swung intothe locked position, the cam means 16a of the kicker lever 16 is engagedwith the bent end 25a of the detent lever 25, thereby holding the latterin retreated position. At the same time, the coin is thrown intoposition C2 as shown in FIG. 8. In this condition, that is, in thelocked condition with the key 3 retained within the lock barrel, thecoin is retained in position C2 by means of the bent bottom end 36a ofthe second coin retainer lever 36, which bent end 36a is extended intothe coin passage and adapted to come into contact with the coin at onepoint in the periphery thereof as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8. It is noted atthis point that, as long as the key is inserted into the lock barrel andturned to locked position, the detent lever 25 is held in the positionretreated from the track of the stopper member 12c of the actuatinglever 12 by cooperated action of the coin retainer lever 36, the coin,and the kicker lever 16.

During the locking operation, the operating lever 31 will be pivotedcounterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 8 by means of the counteroperating lug 12b of the actuating lever 12 which lug is intended foroperating the counter means 33. Then, the spring 34 will be tensionedthereby causing the counter means 33 to be operated to turn a numberwheel by one. On the other hand, the retainer lever 28 will be pivotedclockwise as viewed in FIG. 8 through intervention of theleaf spring 26by the pivoted detent lever 25 and have its bent end 28a engaged with aprojected end 31b of the operating lever 31 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8.

In the locked condition, since the bent end 12a of the actuating lever12 is disengaged from the upper end of the intermediary lever 23, thefirst coin retainer lever 20 will be pivoted clockwise as viewed in FIG.8 by action of the spring 22 and come to halt when it is abutted withthe guide plate 9. In this condition, an opening to the coinbox isblocked off.

When it is desired to bring the locking bolt 13 back to the unlockedposition before the key 3 is removed, it is only necessary to turn thekey in a reverse direction. In this case, the actuating lever 12together with the locking bolt 13 will be brought back to the unlockedposition and the kicker lever 16 will be returned merely until the bentend 16c extended into the coin passage comes to abut with the coin inthe periphery thereof. In this condition, since the cam means 16a ismaintained to be engaged with the-bent end 25a of the detent lever 25,the latter will not be returned to normal position in which the bent end25b stands in the track of the stopper member 120. Accordingly, thelocking bolt 13, which has been brought back to unlocked position, canbeswung again into the locked position without any difficulties.

When the key 3 is removed after the locking bolt 13 is swung into lockedposition, the small slidable pin 4 will be retracted and the second coinretainer lever 36 will be pivoted counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4about the pin 38 by action of the spring 37, thereby causing the bentend 36a to be withdrawn from the coin passage. Accordingly, the coinfalls down to position C3 in FIG. 8 and is retained there by means ofthe first coin retainer lever 20.

When the key 3 is inserted again and turned in a direction of unlocking,the stopper member 12c of the actuating lever 12 will be separated fromthe bent end 2512 of the detent lever25 and the counter operating lug orbent end 12b of the actuating lever 12 will be disengaged from theoperating lever 31. Then, the operating lever31 will be returned byaction of the tension spring 34 and hence the counter means 33 isrestored to normal position. When the receiver pin 14 on the lockingbolt 13 passes the bent portion of the spring 15, the above-mentionedoperating lever will be quickly returned. At this time, the coin inposition C3 will be kicked by the bent end 16c of the kicker lever 16and dropped down into the coinbox.

Since the coin controlled lock according to this invention isconstructed as described hereinabove, the locking bolt 13 can be broughtinto and out of 'locked position repeatedly as desired as long as thekey is inserted, even if the lock is once locked by turning the keyafter depositing the coin-Therefore, even though the user .haserroneously deposited into the cabinet his belongings which should notbe deposited therein and locked the lock by turning the key, he canunlock the lock simply by returning the key and lock it again after hehas taken out those things. This is very convenient for the user.

Furthermore, since the counter means for indicating the number of usageis actuated only by the first locking operation and will not be actuatedby subsequent locking and unlocking operation prior to the removal ofthe key, it can indicate an accurate number of usage regardless of therepeated locking and unlocking operation as described hereinabove.

In addition, since the deposited coin is designed to be dropped into thecoinbox bythe unlocking operation which is carried out after the removalof the key from the locked lock, the proprietor of the cabinets canconfirm that the coin has beendeposited and pay back that coin to theuser in case of the lock being rendered inoperable clue to malfunctions.

lclaim: i

1. A coin controlled lock comprising a frame means defining acoinpassage therein, a shaft rotatably supported by said frame means andhaving a lock barrel mounted thereon, a rotary locking bolt and stoppermeans fixedly connected to said shaft, detentmeans pivotally supportedby said frame means and adapted to lie in the path of said stopper meansto limit rotation of said locking bolt when no coin is deposited,retainer means pivotally supported by said frame means, said retainermeans including a pair of spaced legs and a cam surface thereon, saidcamsurface being engageable with said detent means to retain said detentmeans in a position retracted from the path of said stopper means when acoin is deposited and said retainer means is in a pivoted position, andcoin retaining means for retaining a coin in position to cause saidretainer means to be maintained in said pivoted position to hold saiddetent means in said retracted position.

2. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 including a countermeans operatively associated with said coin controlled lock andincluding a number wheel actuated each time a coin is deposited.

e 3. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 including a 7 pinslidably mounted on said rotatable shaft at the innermost end thereof soas to be projected outwardly when a key is'insorted and retracted when akey is removed. 1 4. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 3wherein said coin retaining means is supported for pivotal movement withrespect to said frame means, and spring means normally biasing said coinretaining means in one direction so as to maintain a portion thereof inengagement with said pin.

5. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim I wherein said coinretaining means includes a depending leg having a bent end at the tipend thereof, said bent end extending into said coin passage so'as toengage a coin when a key is inserted in the lock, said'bent end beingretracted from said coin passage when a key is removed from the lock.

6. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said legshas a bent end adapted to engage the periphery of a win, another of saidlegs having an arcuate portion, an actuatmg lever fixedly mounted onsaid shaft and including a bent end engaging said arcuate portion, saiddetent means including a leg having a bent end and engaging the cammeans on said retainer means.

7. A coin controlled look as defined inclaim I wherein one leg of saidretainer means includes a bent end adapted to strike a coin located inthe lower part of the lock into a coinbox when said retainer means isreleased from a detent means retaining position. v

8. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 wherein said detentmeans includes a leg having a bent end extending into said coin passagewhich engages a coin in a first position to push said bent end upwardly,said coin retaining means including a depending leg maintained incontact with a coin in a second position so as to retain said detentmeans in said retracted position.

9. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 wherein said 'coinretaining means, a coin and said retainer means cooperate tocontinuously retain said detent means in said retreated position.

10. A coin controlled look as defined in claim 1 including an actuatinglever fixedly mounted on said shaft, said actuating lever including abent end engaging said retainer means to maintain said retainer means ina position to retain the detent means in said retracted position whenthe lock is in locked position.

ll. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 including second coinretaining means for retaining a coin in a further position within thelock until the lock is unlocked by means of a key inserted in the lock.

12. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim ll including anintermediary lever, said intermediary lever including an arm, anactuating lever fixedly mounted on said shaft, said aetuating leverincluding a bent end engageable with said arm on the intermediary lever,said intermediary lever being engagea- 'ble with said further coinretaining means to retrack said further coin retaining means and releasea coin into an associated coinbox.

13. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1 including an actuatinglever fixedly mounted on said shaft, said actuating lever including abent end, said frame means including a guide plate, said guide platehaving an arcuate guide opening slidably receiving the bent end of theactuating lever.

14. A coin controlled lock as defined in claim 1, including a lockerdoor a locking member moveably mounted on said door, a pivot memberpivotally supported by said door and engageable with said locking boltand said locking member so as to permit said locking bolt to lock saidlocking member without having a tip end of said locking bolt projectingout of the side surface of said frame means.

